1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to games and, more specifically, to an expanded chess game and method therefor which provides a new, octagonally shaped playing surface, standard game pieces from the standard game of chess, and a new game piece called the Viceroy.
2. Description of the Related Art
The standard game of chess is well known. In fact, many chess players believe that the game is all too well known. In particular, throughout the lengthy history of the standard game of chess, it has been played an extremely large number of times. Consequently, it is not surprising to find that many, if not all, of the potential game scenarios have already been played. In fact, most serious chess players have studied the results of previously executed chess game strategies, and as a result, the excitement of the game is somewhat dulled.
The standard game of chess provides a square shaped playing surface comprised of 64 squares which typically alternate between black and red, two sets of game pieces, each including a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and eight Pawns, and rules governing the play of the chess game. At the beginning of a standard game of chess, there are only 4 rows of 8 squares separating the opposing game pieces, therefore, the players are, to a large degree, forced into directly and quickly confronting their opponent's game pieces. Of course, ultimately, that is an important aspect of the game, however, the relatively close quarters arrangement between opposing game pieces in the standard game of chess precludes a more diversionary, indirect style of play. An example of an indirect style of play might include, moving or "hiding" one or more a first player's high value game pieces, such as the Queen or the Rook, away from the majority of their game pieces. The idea behind this sort of strategy is to hopefully draw the second player's attacking game pieces toward the majority of the first player's game pieces in order to preoccupy the second player into forgetting about the "hidden" game piece(s). When this strategy is executed properly, the first player can take advantage of the second player by using the "hidden" game piece(s) to capture valuable game pieces belonging to the second player. While direct confrontation is a useful strategy in the standard game of chess, so too is indirect engagement, however, due to the relatively small, confined playing surface in the standard game of chess, this sort of indirect, diversionary attack is difficult to execute.
Therefore, a need existed to provide an expanded chess game providing an enlarged playing surface having side portions where game pieces can be moved in order to set up this diversionary tactic. When a more expansive playing surface is implemented, there are far more scenarios possible in the new, expanded game of chess than in the standard game of chess, and consequently, a greater challenge exists for more serious chess players.
In general, in order to add greater strategic flexibility and intellectual challenge for players of the game of chess, there existed a need to provide not only a new and more expansive playing surface, but also a new game piece to cover the new expanded playing surface of the new, expanded chess game.